Pet Vaccinations Orange County

When it comes to your pet’s health, vaccinations are extremely important. They keep your friend safe from serious, sometimes fatal illnesses and diseases, and contribute to a long and healthy life. Early protection is the best protection, so come to the Affordable Animal Hospital Orange when you first bring your puppy or kitten home.

When to Start Vaccinating Your Pet

With all of the excitement of welcoming a new pet into your family, don’t forget to schedule a vaccination appointment. Protection should begin within a few weeks of your pet’s life, and will continue throughout the first year.

Your first vet visit should occur when your puppy or kitten is six weeks old. During that appointment, we will review your pet’s unique risk factors based on breed and lifestyle and discuss the recommended vaccination schedule. One the initial shots have been administered, you’ll need to follow up with routine boosters to maintain protection against the most common canine and feline diseases.

Kitten Vaccination Schedule

6-weeks-old:

During your kitten’s very first vet visit at our Orange office, we will administer cat vaccinations for:

Calicivirus. This common respiratory disease attacks the lungs and nasal passages, causing ulcers, fever and pneumonia – which often leads to additional complications.

Distemper. Distemper is a highly contagious and life-threatening illness, which means immunization is particularly important. The virus attacks blood cells throughout your kitten’s body, causing anemia and increasing his or her vulnerability to other diseases.

Chlamydia. In cats, chlamydia causes a chronic respiratory infection that results in watery eyes, a runny nose and sneezing.

12-weeks-old:

When your kitten is around 12 weeks old, you should bring him or her back for a second vaccination appointment. During this visit, your pet will receive an additional round of shots for rhinotracheitis, distemper and feline calicivirus, along with an initial shot for:

Feline leukemia. This disease impairs the immune system and causes certain types of cancers. Because it’s responsible for the vast majority of deaths among household cats, it is very important to get your kitten vaccinated early.

3-months-old:

Your kitten’s third vet visit will occur when he or she is around three months old. During that appointment, your pet will receive a second feline leukemia shot, along with an initial vaccine to protect against:

Rabies. Rabies is a severe, fast-moving and often fatal disease that affects a cat’s central nervous system. Though a very serious illness, fortunately it’s preventable with timely cat vaccinations.

Once your kitten’s initial round of low cost Orange County vaccinations is administered, our veterinarians will provide you with an additional schedule for boosters to maintain protection.

Puppy Vaccination Schedule

There’s no question about it: your puppy will receive a lot of low cost dog vaccinations during his or her first year. Fortunately, you don’t have to keep track of them on your own. Our vets will help you stick to the recommended schedule to ensure that your best friend is safe from harm and receives some of the best dog vaccinations Orange County has to offer.

DHLPP

This dog vaccination protects against distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus and parainfluenza. These diseases lead to serious symptoms and complications– and many of them have the potential to be fatal – so timely immunization is important.

#1 Vaccine: 6 weeks

#2 Vaccine: 9 weeks

#3 Vaccine: 12 weeks

#4 Vaccine: 16 weeks

Booster shots: Beginning at one year

Rabies

Rabies is a severe and sometimes fatal virus that attacks a dog’s brain and central nervous system. It’s transmitted through a bite from a disease carrier and requires immediate medical attention.

#1 Vaccine: 3 months

#2 Vaccine: 15 months

Booster shots: Once every three years

In addition to DHLPP and rabies shots, there are other, non-core vaccines that we may recommend for your dog depending on breed and lifestyle. For example, we may advise vaccinating against Lyme disease if you live in a high-risk area or Bordetella if your dog is regularly in high-density situations.

What if You Missed Your Pet's Shots?

If your pet is older and not yet vaccinated, or if you can’t verify your animal’s shot history, your best course of action is to schedule an appointment at the Affordable Animal Hospital Orange as soon as possible.

In addition to our routine schedules for puppies and kittens, we are also experienced providers of among the best low cost pet vaccines Orange County has to offer when prior immunization either didn’t occur or cannot be confirmed.

Vaccinate Your Pet with Us

At Affordable Animal Hospital Orange, we are committed to keeping your dog or cat safe from dangerous diseases and illnesses. Contact our Orange office today to start protection with low cost vaccinations or schedule boosters, and give your pet the best shot at a long and happy life.